EXERCISE BAR ATTACHMENT AND METHOD |
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申请号 | EP11845177.2 | 申请日 | 2011-11-30 | 公开(公告)号 | EP2646118B1 | 公开(公告)日 | 2017-12-27 |
申请人 | Fitness Anywhere, LLC.; | 发明人 | HETRICK, Randal; RUSSO, Stephanie; | ||||
摘要 | A device and method is described that can easily provide removable exercise bars from the angled portions of a structure and provide a pair of approximately horizontal bars for exercising. The method includes placing an attachment device having a pair of brackets onto co-planar and non-parallel support members. The attachment device brackets include opening for placing, removing, and securing the attachment to the support members. The height of the bars is provided according to the spacing the brackets and the support members. | ||||||
权利要求 | |||||||
说明书全文 | The present invention generally relates to exercise equipment, and more particularly to a device including exercise bars that are removably attachable to a frame or structure. Gymnasiums are typically used for a number of exercises, each possibly requiring different equipment and/or configurations of equipment. Since flexibility of the workout space is important, users either have to reconfigure equipment or work with what is available. While there are some devices which allow for reconfiguring equipment, the mounting, assembly, or reconfiguration exercise space is not, in general, easily done. Specifically, there is no currently available equipment that is sturdy and which allows a user to quickly and easily add or configure bars for a pull up or dip station. The present invention refers to a method of attaching an exercise bar apparatus as defined in claim 1, an exercise bar apparatus as defined in claim 6 and an exercise equipment as defined in claim 7. It overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing exercise bars that are easily attachable and removable onto angled support members, such as an A-frame, or to similarly angled elements capable of supporting the bars. In certain embodiments, a method of removably attaching an exercise bar apparatus to a pair of co-planar and non-parallel members is provided, where the apparatus includes a pair of brackets separated by a separation distance and configured for mounting on members placed between the brackets. The method includes positioning the pair of brackets adjacent to and on either of the members at a location where the members are separated by a distance of less than the separation distance; and moving the brackets to removably engage the brackets with the members, such that the exercise bar apparatus can support the weight of a user on the members. In certain other embodiments, an exercise bar apparatus is provided for mounting on a pair of co-planar, non-parallel support members having a support member included angle. The exercise bar apparatus includes a pair of brackets separated by a separation distance, wherein each bracket of the pair of brackets has an opening with a pair of opposing surfaces and a surface joining the opposing surfaces, and wherein the opposing surfaces of the pair of brackets face towards each other and have an included angle approximately equal to the support member included angle; and a pair of grips. In other embodiments, exercise equipment is provided. The equipment includes a pair of co-planar, non-parallel support members having a support member included angle; and an exercise bar apparatus. The exercise bar apparatus includes a pair of brackets separated by a separation distance, wherein each bracket of the pair of brackets has an opening with a pair of opposing surfaces and a surface joining the opposing surfaces, and wherein the opposing surfaces of the pair of brackets face towards each other and have an included angle approximately equal to the support member included angle; and a pair of grips. In certain embodiments, brackets for attaching the exercise bar apparatus are fixedly attached to the exercise bar apparatus, and in certain other embodiments, brackets for attaching the exercise bar apparatus are rotatably attached to the exercise bar apparatus. These features together with the various ancillary provisions and features which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, are attained by the exercise bar attachment device and method of the present invention, preferred embodiments thereof being shown with reference to the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:
Reference labels and/or symbols are used in the Figures to indicate certain components, aspects or features shown therein, with reference symbols common to more than one Figure indicating like components, aspects or features shown therein. For illustrative purposes, frame 10 is shown in In general, frame 10 is constructed of rigid components. Thus, for example and without limitation, header 11 and members 13 and 15 may be formed of steel or aluminum pipe or tubing having for example and without limitation, circular, square, triangular, or rectangular cross-sectional shapes. The individual components of frame 10 may be joined by welding, screwing, with brackets, or any other means known for attaching the components. Thus, for example and without limitation, the height H of frame 10 may be equal to or greater than 7 ft (2.13 m) and may be, for example and without limitation, approximately 7 ft (2.13 m), approximately 7.25 ft (2.21 m), approximately 7.5 ft (2.29 m), approximately 7.75 ft (2.36 m), approximately 8 ft (2.44 m) approximately 8.25 ft (2.51 m), approximately 8.5 ft (2.59 m), approximately 8.75 ft (2.67 m), or approximately 9 ft (2.74 m). The width W of frame 10 may be, for example and without limitation, equal to or greater than approximately 7 ft (2.13 m) and may be, for example, approximately 7 ft (2.13 m), approximately 7.25 ft (2.21 m), approximately 7.5 ft (2.29 m), approximately 7.75 ft (2.36 m), approximately 8 ft (2.44 m), approximately 8.25 ft (2.51 m), approximately 8.5 ft (2.59 m), approximately 8.75 ft (2.67 m), or approximately 9 ft (2.74 m). The angle Θ may accordingly be from approximately 43 to approximately 65 degrees. As examples to illustrate members 13 or 15, In one embodiment, which will be illustratively discussed subsequently, member 13 or 15, as shown in As shown in In general, exercise bar apparatus 100 is constructed of rigid components. Thus, for example and without limitation, the exercise bar apparatus 100 may be formed of steel or aluminum pipe or tubing having, for example and without limitation, circular, square, triangular, or rectangular cross-sectional shapes. The individual components of exercise bar apparatus 100 may be joined by welding, screwing, or any other means known for attaching the components. In addition, certain components, such as hand grip portions of bars 101, may include padding 131. Bars 101 may also include end-caps or plugs to seal off the end of the bars. Each of the pair of bars 101 includes a metal cylindrical element 311, which may be a bar or tube, which protrudes away from bar 105 on a side opposite brackets 103. An optional soft padding material 313 may also be provided to the outer surface of element 311. As shown in In certain embodiments, bars 101 may be used for pull-ups or dips. As such the dimensions B and L may have, for example and without limitation, the following values. Specifically, B may be from approximately 12 inches (0.3 m) to approximately 24 inches (0.6 m). In certain other embodiments, B is approximately 13 inches (0.33 m), approximately 14 inches (0.36 m), approximately 15 inches (0.38 m), approximately 16 inches (0.41 m) or approximately 17 inches (0.43 m). In certain embodiment, L is from approximately 12 (0.3 m) to approximately 24 inches (0.6 m). In certain other embodiments, L is approximately 14 inches (0.36 m), approximately 15 inches (0.38 m), approximately 16 inches (0.41 m), approximately 16.5 inches (0.42 m), approximately 17 inches (0.43 m), or approximately 18 inches (0.46 m). Bars B may have a diameter, inclusive of any padding, of from approximately 1 inch (25 mm) to approximately 2 inches (51 mm), and may be, for example and without limitation, approximately 1 inch (25 mm), approximately 1.25 inches (32 mm), approximately 1.5 inch (38 mm), approximately 1.75 inches (44 mm), or approximately 2 inches (51 mm). Third embodiment exercise bar apparatus 900 is generally similar to embodiment exercise bar apparatus 100 or 300, except that brackets 103 of the second embodiment exercise bar apparatus have a spacing W2 which is larger that spacing W1 of the first embodiment exercise bar apparatus. The larger spacing permits exercise bar apparatus 900 to be located at a different height above ground G than exercise bar apparatus 100 or 300 Thus, for example, if exercise bar apparatus 900 is placed on members 13 or 15 of frame 10, since members 13 and 15 are angled towards each other with increasing distance from ground G, exercise bar apparatus 900 engages members 13 at a height H2 above ground G, where height H2 is less than height H1 of exercise bar apparatus 100 or 300 Exercise bar apparatus 900 may thus provide bars 101 for a dip station at a height H2, for example, of 3.5 ft (1.1 m). More specifically, As shown in Each hinged bracket 1203 includes a bar extension 1201 connected bar 105 by a hinge 1210 including a hinge pin 1211, which defines a center line C about which each hinge 1210 may rotate as indicated by arrows R. Each hinged bracket 1203 also includes side flange 301 which protrudes away from bar extension 1201 and a back flange 303 that is attached to the side flange, thus permitting engagement with members, such as members 13. In the example of It is thus seen that by providing some degree of rotation about axis C, exercise bar apparatus 1200 may accommodate and be attachable to a range of included angles. In one extreme, exercise bar apparatus 1200 may attach to two bars having an included angle of 180 degrees (which may be a single bar). In another extreme, exercise bar apparatus 1200 may attached to two bars that are nearly parallel and which have a very small included angle, such as a few degrees. Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments. Thus, for example one or both brackets may have a notch, such as notch 1101 and/or have a hinge, such as hinge 1210 Throughout this specification, the term "comprising" shall be synonymous with "including," "containing," or "characterized by," is inclusive or open-ended and does not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps. "Comprising" is a term of art which means that the named elements are essential, but other elements may be added and still form a construct within the scope of the statement. Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby expressly incorporated into this description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. |